Okay, this probably isn't the place for it, by do you mind if I ask you to explain the US education system, please, Mara? I have no idea what this graduation school is, for example

Over here, we have High School, Sixth Form, then college then/or university._________________I am a Star Wars fan. That doesn't mean that I hate or love Jar Jar. That doesn't mean I hate or love Lucas, or agree or disagree 100% with him. That doesn't mean I prefer the PT over the OT, or vice versa. That doesn't mean I hate the EU, or even love all of it (or even read all of it). These are not prerequisites. Being a man is not a prerequisite. Being a geek is not a prerequisite. The only prerequisite is that I love something about Star Wars. I am a Star Wars fan.

Posted: Mon May 23, 2011 11:11 am

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Mara Jade SkywalkerAdministrator

Joined: 15 Feb 2008Posts: 5694Location: Beyond Shadows

Ah, Life, certainly!

First, we have Preschool. This is for, I believe, 3 and 4 year olds. Prior to that it's daycare, which is not necessarily a part of schooling, as you can imagine.

Second, we have Kindergarten, which is only for 5 year olds. Since Preschool is not required (optional...a place for working parents to send their children), Kindergarten is the first official schooling a child is required to receive.

Third, we go into Elementary School, which is 1st through 6th grade. Which is approximately 6 through 12 year olds. Some places consider 4th, 5th and 6th grades Middle School, but the schooling is no different, so it doesn't really matter what you call it.

Fourth, we head into Junior High, which consists of 7th and 8th grade. This would be about 13 and 14 year olds.

Fifth, we have High School, which consists of 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grades. These are your 15 to 18 year olds. This is the final required schooling for us. Once you graduate from High School, you're free to get a job or head on to College. Or be a bum, if you so wish. But the point being that your mandatory schooling is complete.

Sixth, if you so choose, there is College, or University. This age ranges anywhere from 18 years old to however long it takes you, but about 22 or 23 years old. We have various degrees you can earn in college. At various colleges they're split up into different amounts of time for completion, but the following are the most common. An Associate's Degree, which requires two years of schooling at a college or university that offers such a degree. You can't just take two years of college and automatically receive an Associate's Degree. It is not dependent on the amount of time, but on the curriculum. The amount of time it takes to complete, though, is generally two years. The second most common degree is the Bachelor's Degree. This is called your Undergraduate Degree/Program and requires four years to complete, minimum. Some people complete it in less time, but this is rare. Most complete it in four or more years. The norm, however, is four years. For a lot of people, this is the end of college. However, you can continue on if you so wish.

Seventh, we have Graduate School, which is where one would earn a Master's Degree. A Bachelor's Degree is required for this, and the specifics of each field of study (in my case Computer Science) require various courses to have been completed in your undergraduate program if you are to be accepted to graduate school. For instance, if I wished to enter graduate school for Computer Science, I would be required to have completed Calculus 1 and 2. Which is why I mentioned earlier that it's good I'm in the Scientific concentration of my undergraduate program, because it requires Calc 1 and 2. Other concentrations do not, and therefore are not good spring boards for graduate school. Now time to complete graduate school varies, but the average is two years. Once you have done this, you have earned your Master's Degree. And again, many stop here. But again, you can continue if you so wish.

Eigth, and finally, we have the Doctorate Program, where you earn a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy of [Insert Specific Field Here]). This can require several years, but I believe the average is again about 4 years. When you complete this program, you have earned your doctorate and can now have the title Dr. before your name. Most professors are required to have a doctorate, hence why we call them Dr. So And So.

If there is schooling beyond this, it is not common and not part of the general schooling structure we follow over here. So that's rather indepth, but that's how it goes. Hope that made sense! _________________
"It's not about the legacy you leave, it's about the life you live." ~Mara Jade Skywalker

*Whistles, blown away* Thanks, Mara! This is certainly quite in-depth, and more than I had hoped for!

Mara Jade Skywalker wrote:

Ah, Life, certainly!

First, we have Preschool. This is for, I believe, 3 and 4 year olds. Prior to that it's daycare, which is not necessarily a part of schooling, as you can imagine.

Second, we have Kindergarten, which is only for 5 year olds. Since Preschool is not required (optional...a place for working parents to send their children), Kindergarten is the first official schooling a child is required to receive.

Ah, yes. Thanks to Arnie, and his Kindergarten Cop, I am aware of this field of acedemia.

Quote:

Third, we go into Elementary School, which is 1st through 6th grade. Which is approximately 6 through 12 year olds. Some places consider 4th, 5th and 6th grades Middle School, but the schooling is no different, so it doesn't really matter what you call it.

Fourth, we head into Junior High, which consists of 7th and 8th grade. This would be about 13 and 14 year olds.

Fifth, we have High School, which consists of 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grades. These are your 15 to 18 year olds. This is the final required schooling for us. Once you graduate from High School, you're free to get a job or head on to College. Or be a bum, if you so wish. But the point being that your mandatory schooling is complete.

Interesting - and annoying, because I'm trying to remember all the grades of our school system, and trying (and failing) to match them up. We, too, have a nursery, which ends at 5 (I remember this because, on my fifth birthday, no one believed I was that old!), with two years in primary (Infants - we be dumb at that age - and older ages - so we didn't have a fancy name for it!) school. Then there's Junior school which is year 3 - 6 (not sure why I'm telling you this. Mainly just to make me look smart! *Strikes Rodin's Thinker pose*), which is 6-7 to 10-11 years of age. Here's the divergence which has always confused me.

Then it's the pesky High school, which we go to until we're 15-16 (Year 11) - and this concludes our stop on the education bus, though if memory serves we're given two more years of free schooling of our choice. This is usually Sixth Form college (for two years)

Quote:

Sixth, if you so choose, there is College, or University. This age ranges anywhere from 18 years old to however long it takes you, but about 22 or 23 years old. We have various degrees you can earn in college. At various colleges they're split up into different amounts of time for completion, but the following are the most common. An Associate's Degree, which requires two years of schooling at a college or university that offers such a degree. You can't just take two years of college and automatically receive an Associate's Degree. It is not dependent on the amount of time, but on the curriculum. The amount of time it takes to complete, though, is generally two years. The second most common degree is the Bachelor's Degree. This is called your Undergraduate Degree/Program and requires four years to complete, minimum. Some people complete it in less time, but this is rare. Most complete it in four or more years. The norm, however, is four years. For a lot of people, this is the end of college. However, you can continue on if you so wish.

Ah! Now this is starting to sound familiar. It should do. I live just down the rowd frum a collage . This is where you are, then, I gather?

Quote:

Seventh, we have Graduate School, which is where one would earn a Master's Degree. A Bachelor's Degree is required for this, and the specifics of each field of study (in my case Computer Science) require various courses to have been completed in your undergraduate program if you are to be accepted to graduate school. For instance, if I wished to enter graduate school for Computer Science, I would be required to have completed Calculus 1 and 2. Which is why I mentioned earlier that it's good I'm in the Scientific concentration of my undergraduate program, because it requires Calc 1 and 2. Other concentrations do not, and therefore are not good spring boards for graduate school. Now time to complete graduate school varies, but the average is two years. Once you have done this, you have earned your Master's Degree. And again, many stop here. But again, you can continue if you so wish.

Eigth, and finally, we have the Doctorate Program, where you earn a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy of [Insert Specific Field Here]). This can require several years, but I believe the average is again about 4 years. When you complete this program, you have earned your doctorate and can now have the title Dr. before your name. Most professors are required to have a doctorate, hence why we call them Dr. So And So.

Ah, yes. I remember Dr. So And So. Decent chap, though I heard he had to leave uni for some extra-curricular activities with the first years...

Anyhoo, this is starting to sound familiar again - except from Graduate school - where we just have it all wrapped up in one institution, that of the university.

Quote:

If there is schooling beyond this, it is not common and not part of the general schooling structure we follow over here. So that's rather indepth, but that's how it goes. Hope that made sense!

Ah, but Mara, life itself is a journey, one in which we are constantly learning. Though it doesn't give you fancy letters after your name . Well, it does after 60-70 years, I suppose: RIP

Thanks again, Mara!_________________I am a Star Wars fan. That doesn't mean that I hate or love Jar Jar. That doesn't mean I hate or love Lucas, or agree or disagree 100% with him. That doesn't mean I prefer the PT over the OT, or vice versa. That doesn't mean I hate the EU, or even love all of it (or even read all of it). These are not prerequisites. Being a man is not a prerequisite. Being a geek is not a prerequisite. The only prerequisite is that I love something about Star Wars. I am a Star Wars fan.